DRUM & DRUMMER

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

* * * * * CLICK HERE: DRUM & DRUMMER HOME PAGE * * * * *

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Kermit Interviews Animal… Animal’s Drums Go Up In Flames… Animal vs. Buddy Rich Drum Battle… Rita Moreno and Animal Play “Fever”

Kermit interviews Animal, discussing his influences and his love of drums.  When animal mentions that he likes to eat his drums, Kermit says, “How ‘cymballic’,” prompting Animal to yell, “Bad pun! Bad pun!”  Kermit decides not to replace Animal with a new drummer, Tony Checkers, after Animal beats Kermit senseless.

1. During the first drum solo on this compilation, Animal plays so fast that his drums go up in flames.
2. The second drum duet is a classic drum-off between the great Buddy Rich and Animal. Buddy Rich’s talents cause Animal’s jaw to drop open, before he throws a drum at Buddy’s head in a fit of rage.  This is one of the best Sesame Street sketches of all-time, AND it displays examples of rudimental techniques combined with great showmanship.
3. Animal shows how overplaying can annoy the other musicians in the band (and the audience).  The singer Rita Moreno, is not impressed with Animal’s hilariously out-of-control playing during the song, “Fever.”  When an aggravated Rita tells Animal to chill, he decides to play in an even louder and out of control manner.

Attributes that Bands/Musicians Seek in a Drummer:

• A drummer with reliably consistant tempo
• A drummer who places more importance on the song than on drum solos
• A musician who places more importance on “feel” than on showing off technical ability
• Many professional drummers prefer to play simply and economically, even though they are fully capable of playing much more complex patterns.
• A band member who does NOT attempt to overpower the other musicians’ parts with sheer volume
• An appropriately dynamic musician
• A musician who understands song structure

Ringo Starr of the Beatles is a good example of an understated drummer who always played the drums so that they supported the song structure.

Mitch Mitchell of The Jimi Hendrix Experience is one of my favorite examples of a drummer who played more improvisationally while still maintaining a flowing groove. His creative and dynamic jazz fusion style relied more on interplay between the guitar and drums than is typical of most music.

Listen to The Jimi Hendrix Experience album “Axis: Bold As Love” or “Live at Monterey” to hear Mitchell and Hendrix playing beautifully off of each other. The drum parts would be over the top in many other styles of music, but they mesh perfectly with Hendrix’s improvisational guitar style.  Mitch Mitchell effectively combined improvisational jazz techniques with rock and blues guitar-oriented song structures.

Bert & Ernie Play “Green Grass & High Tides” Together

• Bert thinks of himself as one groovacious hepcat when he plays the bass drum.
• This was originally aired on the first season of Sesame Street (1969-1970).
• Ernie convinces Bert to jazz up his drum beat, and they play a duet of “Green Grass & High Tides.”
• I actually remember playing this very song in elementary band class, and it took a great deal of restraint not to start attacking the snare drum like Animal.

Ernie Plays Some CRAZY Blast Beats

This update of a Sesame Street classic is GREAT!  Bert tells Ernie that he is heading to the post office to mail a letter, and Ernie replies, “Okay, Bert.  While you’re gone, I’m going to practice my drums.” 

• In this version, Ernie plays some more advanced speed-metal blast beats and fills.
• Bert is teleporting in the background during Ernie’s solo, making this awesome video even better. 
• Derek Roddy is playing the extremely fast double bass drum part that you hear.
• This is a good example of speed and fluidity using single and double stroke rolls. 
• Even Animal would have to be impressed with Ernie’s drumming chops in this version…

“ANIMAAALLLLLL!!!” Animal Runs Into A Gong…

This video of Animal playing a large gong with his head was an acidental blooper from The Muppets Show.

Harry Belafonte vs. Animal Drum Battle

Here is another drum battle featuring the percussive stylings of Animal. This time Animal is playing with Harry Belafonte. The expressions on Animal’s face while he watches Harry play are priceless.  This is yet another example of why the original Sesame Street that started in 1969 is creatively superior to the supposedly “new and improved” Sesame Street.  I relaize now that my eclectic tastes in music were at least somewhat shaped by the music of Sesame Street.  

The fact that my parents listened to Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Allman Brothers, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After, Van Morrison, Frank Zappa, and all kinds of other great music during my formative years may have been another contributing factor.

Animal became famous playing with Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem on the Muppets Show.  Animal’s wild and loose drumming style is based on that of Keith Moon of the Who.

Animal Sings “Wild Thing”

Animal & James Coburn Meditate

• James Coburn attempts to teach Animal the importance of relaxation and meditation.
• Being both relaxed and focused is crucial to playing with fluidity, especially when playing in front of an audience.
• A pre-show warm-up on a practice pad helps loosen joints and gently stretch tendons and muslce groups.  Start slow, and gradually build up your tempo.  This helps prevent wrist, forearm, and hand strain/injury.
• Stretching and relaxing muscle groups before and after playing also helps improve muscle memory between practice sessions.

Animal prefers to exuberantly attack the drums, foregoing any relaxation techniques.  He uses his inner turmoil and aggression to attack the drums (and occasionally Kermit and other innocent bystanders).  I can’t really blame him, seeing as how he is locked up in cuffs and chains between gigs…